There are fewer than 20,000 registered nurses in the state of West Virginia. According to a recent study, less than half of those registered nurses have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. There is a need, now more than ever, for bachelor’s-prepared nurses who are trained to lead and manage other nurses. Nursing schools across the state of West Virginia that offer online classes as well as traditional campus settings in addition to distance learning options. Nurses are encouraged to seek information from multiple schools to make the best decision possible.
In our West Virginia RN program guide, find rankings for both ADN and BSN Degree programs, tuition costs, NCLEX passing rates, and more. Research key West Virginia RN Program information to help you compare program metrics and to apply to best RN program for your career in nursing.
In the State of West Virginia, nurses are helping to change the face of healthcare. To ensure that they have the best education and preparation for future health care challenges, registered nurses need to graduate from a state-approved associate's degree in nursing program or a BSN degree program.
Nurses who graduate from an RN program can obtain certification in over 100 nursing specialties, go on to earn an RN to BSN or RN to MSN degree.
BSN degree holders have options to earn an Advance Practice Register Nursing (APRN) degree and become a Nurse Practitioner (NP), or earn an advanced degree for a career in any number of nursing leadership roles such Nurse Educator or Clinical Nurse Specialist.
West Virginia RN Program Comparisons: ADN vs BSN
| Compare RN Programs | ADN | BSN |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Nursing Programs | 11 | 14 |
| Average NCLEX Passing Rate | 87.73% | 86.25% |
| NCLEX Passing Rate Range | 70.94% to 93.32% | 79.18% to 95.20% |
| Average Net Price | $11,802.00 | $13,337.21 |
| Average Net Price Range | $3,546.00 to $21,933.00 | $8,457.00 to $21,933.00 |
| Average Student Loan | $11,055.55 | $13,520.43 |
| Average Student Loan Range | $4,644.00 to $16,000.00 | $3,563.00 to $19,107.00 |
| See Additional Detail | ADN Rankings for West Virginia State | BSN Rankings for West Virginia State |
Best Ranked RN Programs in West Virginia
To help nursing students in their search for a top RN program, the education experts at RNCareers.org publish their annual findings of the best nursing schools for both West Virginia and the country. Schools ranked on our list have proven their ability to educate highly competent nurses.
To create our rankings, we evaluated 9 ADN degree programs and 7 BSN degree programs in West Virginia. We obtained each institution’s first-time NCLEX-RN passing rates, the number of students taking the test, the program nursing accreditation and more. We then compared the results against other nursing programs in West Virginia to provide our state rankings. View our methodology.
Grade | Degree | University | WV Rank | US Rank | City | Type: | Offered As: | Accreditor(s): | More: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94.62 | ADN | Fairmont State University | 1 | 114 | Fairmont | Public | Campus | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 94.57 | ADN | West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown | 2 | 115 | Morgantown | Private For-Profit | Campus | See School Details | |||
| 94.41 | ADN | Marshall University | 3 | 122 | Huntington | Marshall University is located in Huntington, West Virginia. They offer an ASN degree through a partnership with St. Mary’s School of Nursing and Marshall University. They also offer a BSN degree, which is the largest BSN program within a university setting in the region. They also offer an online RN to BSN option. | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | |
| 89.56 | ADN | Blue Ridge Community and Technical College | 4 | 309 | Martinsburg | Blue Ridge Community and Technical College is located in Martinsburg, West Virginia. They offer an ASN degree option. Blue Ridge Community and Technical College originated over 40 years ago and was originally called Shepherd Community College. It was renamed Blue Ridge Community and Technical College in 2006. | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | |
| 88.52 | ADN | Bluefield State College | 5 | 347 | Bluefield | Public | Campus, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 88.11 | ADN | Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College | 6 | 359 | Mount Gay | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 86.79 | ADN | West Virginia Northern Community College | 7 | 417 | Wheeling | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 86.57 | ADN | Davis & Elkins College | 8 | 426 | Elkins | Davis & Elkins College is located in Elkins, West Virginia. They offer an ADN program. Unique to a community college, they also offer an online RN to BSN program. The online program can be completed in 12 months and students are kept with small cohorts so that they get to know their online peers. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | ACEN | See School Details | |
| 78.84 | ADN | Salem International University | 9 | 613 | Salem | Private For-Profit | Campus, Online | See School Details | |||
| 97.53 | BSN | West Virginia Wesleyan College | 1 | 26 | Buckhannon | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 95.38 | BSN | West Virginia University | 2 | 80 | Morgantown | West Virginia University is located in Morgantown, West Virginia. The cost of WVU is below the national average, at $7,992 per year for in-state tuition. They offer a BSN degree; their degree requires that their students log 1,100 clinical hours, 950 of which must take place in an Academic Medical Center with Level I Trauma designation. They also boast that their 2014 graduating class had a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX-RN. | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | |
| 93.70 | BSN | West Liberty University | 3 | 146 | West Liberty | Public | Campus | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 93.57 | BSN | University of Charleston | 4 | 151 | Charleston | University of Charleston is located in Charleston, West Virginia. They have several undergraduate nursing options – an ADN degree, a BSN degree and an RN to BSN option. The RN to BSN degree is completed online and can be finished in as little as 12 months. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | See School Details | ||
| 87.03 | BSN | Marshall University | 5 | 347 | Huntington | Marshall University is located in Huntington, West Virginia. They offer an ASN degree through a partnership with St. Mary’s School of Nursing and Marshall University. They also offer a BSN degree, which is the largest BSN program within a university setting in the region. They also offer an online RN to BSN option. | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | |
| 83.89 | BSN | Shepherd University | 6 | 416 | Shepherdstown | Shepherd University is located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. They offer a BSN program, an RN to BSN program and a DNP program. The RN to BSN program is a hybrid program. Their nursing department offers five simulation labs – acute care, critical care, mother-child, pediatrics and independent living. | Public | Campus, Hybrid | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | |
| 82.46 | BSN | Wheeling Jesuit University | 7 | 447 | Wheeling | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details |